Steps in Alchemy
Every spiritual gadget has its steps or stages of development. The Qabalist has his guide within the culmination and the paths of the "Tree of Life." Mahayana Buddhism teaches its adherents the diverse "bhumis," or "grounds" that must be handed; different traditions consisting of Sufism and Yoga similarly have distinctive the rungs of the non secular ladder. The 33 levels of Freemasonry has its prototype in the vetebrae of the human spine. Kundalini is supposed to climb 33 rungs before she is topped within the sahasrara chakra. The Patriarch Jacob turned into shown in a imaginative and prescient a way to climb that religious ladder. In Alchemy, teachings fluctuate as to the range of stages required; some adepts propound 5, 7, 9, 12, or even 14 steps. We select to deal briefly with the subsequent seven steps:
1) Sanctification
2) Purification
3) Putrefaction
4) Fermentation
5) Combustion
6) Regeneration
7) Atonement
Sanctification
Sanctification is the act of consecration, of rendering holy an object; or inside the case of the religious path, the act of committing or consecrating one’s lifestyles to an occult, esoteric purpose and goal. This step is undertaken whilst one, like Kaspar or Melchior, who noticed the Star, and was determined to observe it notwithstanding barriers, obstructions and obstacles. Psychologically, the willpower to comply with and notice a undertaking to its final conclusion may be stated to be an expression of sanctification.
Sanctification is an initiation which gives a check of 1’s sincerity, of being actual to one’s Self, to at least one’s principles, and to the vows undertaken on the time of sanctification, which may additionally or may not be within the form of a paranormal rite. Once someone is sanctified, the eyes of the non secular hierarchy are focused upon him, guiding, guarding, inspiring, and strengthening his newly-born Christ thoughts, as symbolised by using the Nativity. Every step of the Way brightens the air of secrecy of the alchemist, expanding his recognition and mind to extra frontiers, to extra realities; he develops a keener feel of consciousness, comprehension, and appreciation of cosmic verities. The alchemist sanctifying his existence in no way cease to disperse from his four lower our bodies the heavy debris that bind him all the way down to mortality and predicament; and incorporating within his concepts the atoms of an airy nature, conducive to his functioning in higher planes of attention.
Purification
Purification is the end result of the weight loss plan, the spiritual discipline which the alchemist undertakes. By strict adherence to the laws of a spiritual ethical code, the procedure of purification goes underway. Purification is processed under three ideas:
1) The raising of the vibratory prices of the atomic systems and atoms within the decrease additives of Man.
2) The dispersion of foul matter and pollutants which corrupts the sheaths.
Three) The prevention of the accretion of heavy atoms which densifies the sheaths and entombs the soul.
In esoteric Christianity, purification is represented with the aid of the Baptism. The soul being washed inside the fluids of the Cosmic Sea, progressively changes its clothes into Christ substance, and emerges into a brand new international of Light. The first Adam donned clothes of skin, the last Adam dons the garb of the non secular body. Purification is an on-going system. It in no way ceases as evolution never halts to the point of non-progression.
Impurity in Man results in a negative mind-set and behavior-pattern, a "tamasic" expression that makes a man sluggish in his methods. Records of karmic sins resort inside the heart seed atom and in the four lower principles. To the clairvoyant eye, these are seen as blackish-grayish clouds resembling the pollution emanating from an business center. The alchemist purifies and purges these astral, bodily, and intellectual pollution from his system via residing in harmony with the Tao, and through project non secular physical games designed to cleanse his being. It is the darkish substances that forestalls man’s union with God, and with the liberty to characteristic in better planes of attention. Love, Life, and Light are detergents that washes and baptizes the soul in the River Jordon. Such divine characteristics have to be allowed to unfold within one’s nature.
Putrefaction
All matters undergo the change known as "death," which is certainly a change into a new kingdom of expression.Only bureaucracy change. The electricity ensouling the form, or which gave shape its expression can never be destroyed or annihilated. Molecules may also smash from its mass, atoms may additionally disunite from one another and explode into a shower of electrons, however with all of this apparent destruction of identification, a law so profound operates which offers delivery to a brand new being springing up from the ashes of the antique.
Putrefaction is an intensification of the process already began in the previous steps. Astral and intellectual pollution are dispersed from the religious structure of Man by means of the cleaning pressure, the Holy Fire, and disintegrating and decomposing the effluvia of the lower geographical regions parasiting upon Man’s fears and lack of understanding, making it viable for the laying of the principles for the transmutation of tomb into temple. Like the Freemason, the alchemist has to assemble a temple now not made with arms; a temple worth sufficient for the career and operation of the Ego.
In this putrefying degree, the alchemist resembles a cocoon who works upon itself internally; habitual mind and feelings that are not of an Ascended Master excellent are decomposed and released into the Cosmic "incinerator."
The principle of exchange is symbolised by way of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Elijah representing Fire, and Moses–Water, are the knowledge and love elements of buddhi that impregnates and fertilizes the Seed of Gold within Man.
Focus upon the solar principle, God’s living hearth, is a positive method of burning the dross, the dispersal of impurities, and the transmutation of tamas-rajasic metals of guy’s standards into features of gold. Fire accelerates the buddhic seed within our being, awakening it into interest; Water purifies the seed giving it freedom to develop, and nourishing it at the same time. It is stated that "putrefaction is the precept KEY to the process of the Transmutation." It is the agent which speeds up growth. The momentum is expanded at every succeeding step of the manner.
Fermentation
After present process the previous degree of putrefaction, one then undergoes fermentation, that’s represented in Christian mysticism through the Passion, the pain of Jesus at Getsamene. Mystics of the Christian lifestyle call this spiritual circumstance, "the Dark Night of the Soul."
Chemically, fermentation is the breaking apart of complex compounds, converting it into different structures with the useful resource of an agent consisting of yeast. Psychologically, it is a time of excessive psychic hobby where doubts assail one’s deepest convictions and ideals to their very root.
A guy in no way is aware of the stuff he’s fabricated from till tried and tested by using existence and his rebounding karma. When man becomes "constant" in his attitudes and outlook, denying the possibilities of soul-tradition and improvement, while he gets complacent concerning his region within the scale of evolution and refuses to budge similarly, then Nature involves the rescue performing as yeast could do in starting up a forced change in a compound, which in this situation, is the complicated being called Man. This pressured alternate comes inside the form of assessments and trials; and all of his preceding ideals and misconceptions are analyzed as to their purported cost in sustaining his equilibrium, saneness, and comprehension of lifestyles.
Students of Alchemy are suggested by adepts to volatilize that that’s "fixed" and to stabilize that which is volatized. Esoterically, this means that one has to disencumber one’s self from all delusions, glamour, illusions, and the lack of knowledge of not understanding; to shift one’s awareness from the artificial to the Real, and to live in eternity and Truth.
This interest of conversion, or "renewing of the mind," is the end result of fermentation, and it’s also undertaken beneath the supervision of an adept-grasp who introduces the "herbal nation," or the "Clear Light" to the initiate when judged to be equipped.
Combustion
After experiencing the "Dark Night of the Soul" of the previous step, the alchemist is faced with a extra test, that of the "Dark Night of the Spirit," wherein one feels forsaken and reduce-off from one’s source of being, from the encouragement, notion, and help from one’s instructors and loved ones. Accumulated karma of past embodiments returns in complete pressure with seemingly no mercy, but by using remembering that God does not provide greater trials than Man can endure, the alchemist-provoke makes it through like Old Job.
In the nation of crucifixion, which symbolizes combustion, the feelings and thoughts on their respective planes are actually on fireplace, or conflagration. One overcomes this period by being self sufficient, structured upon one’s own resources. Although apparently not noted, the struggling provoke is in no way on my own.
Combustion reasons a reaction, an upheaval in Man’s soul, that is accompanied via bliss and pain, symbolised by means of mild and heat. Jesus expressed this paradoxical kingdom whilst on one hand with discomfort he cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34), and on the opposite, after spotting his errors in presuming separation, with overall surrender he entered the glad country via decreeing to the Supreme One that is supposed to have left him: "Father, into thy palms I command my spirit" (Luke 23:46).
What causes combustion, alchemically speaking, is God’s all-eating fire. With its descent upon one’s psyche, the intensity of the Light temporary induces spiritual blindness, inflicting the fable that darkness had fallen upon the soul. While surrounded with the aid of Light, one gropes round in seeming darkness. With the descent of Divine Fire, a conflagration is started within the emotions and mind, generating ache and affliction, that’s later subdued by means of being aware of God’s face. It is stated that no one sees the face of God and stay; what perishes are the final remnants of the fake ego, and the active identity with the carnal self. Man dies to his decrease self but lives in the glory of his more Self.
The presence of hearth prepares one for the following level of regeneration, with which it plays a essential function. Combustion is the baptism of Fire and the Holy Ghost as promised with the aid of John the Harbinger. From the esoteric anatomical attitude, combustion is caused through kundalinic interest. As the fiery serpent ascends in sushumna, sensations of warmth, "cold heat," is felt alongside the backbone.
Regeneration
All religions essentially, are worried with regenerating Man, in laying the rules for the regenerative method to proceed. It is the esoteric aspect of faith that puts Man into active contact with better forces and principles that turns on the regenerative phase of Man’s religious development.Misguided by using dogmatic teachings of the Church, the average Christian believes in a literal resurrection from the grave on the Last Judgment; but, whilst interpreted esoterically, Paul’s writings gift a wealth of information regarding the regenerative procedure. For example, he declared that "for as in Adam all die, having said that in Christ shall all be made alive" (I Corinthians 15:22). Adam, or the carnal self, reasons the incarnating entity to be lifeless to better realities. He operates his bodies sluggishly like a zombie. By comparison, when the prodigal son absorbs the usual Christ substance, and Christ Consciousness emanating from his better concepts, he then functions below the path of a higher intelligence. He commences his lifestyles residing in Truth and in eternity. Regeneration consequently, begins to arise inside his 4 lower bodies, even transmuting the corporeal shape into the "Body of Light." To be made alive in Christ requires a positive non secular discipline to be exercised. But unluckily, the average character prefers believing instead of knowing and doing.
It is the future of Man to acquire what Jesus had attained inside the "resurrection," and thus Paul recommended the Romans: "But if the Spirit of him that raiseth up Jesus from the useless live in you, he that raiseth up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal our bodies by using his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Romans eight:eleven). If the Spirit must reside in us for a quickening, then there need to be a manner for inviting the Spirit to dwell in our bodies, mere beliefs and faith are insufficient to invoke the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit.
When relied upon Nature’s pace of evolution and improvement, the regeneration of Man may additionally require eons to accomplish. By getting into the "instantly and slim gate," the Path of Return, the Prodigal Som may additionally accelerate the regenerative process and fast deify himself in his Father’s palms. It is said that terrific guys do now not die, they absolutely fade away. Enoch, the exquisite antediluvian prophet become one such an individual who genuinely dwindled away. It is recorded in Genesis that he walked with God after which he become no longer. There are essentially two interpretations to this declaration: one, the entire removal and non-identity with the false self, the fake ego; and , the etherealization of the bodily frame.
After successfully treading the numerous stages of the way, the alchemist comes to a point where a greater inflow of the rays of the Higher Self descends and takes energetic control of the 4 decrease bodies. Every cell within the bodily body is vitalized by using this Paraclete and raised to a higher nation of vibration ensuing as a aspect impact, youngsters and a renewed power. Life is prolonged in the shape, and all diseases that plague humankind involves no effect.
Psychologically, regeneration reasons a spiritualization of the person of the alchemist. Morals, ethics and principles held by the alchemist are opened up and carried out from the divine attitude. Every smile displayed and directed by the grasp alchemist to a recipient comes with a unique blessing and pressure which is subtly felt projected from the coronary heart center of the alchemist.
From the above it may be deduced that regeneration is represented through the Master Jesus’ resurrection. Regeneration reasons the unfoldment of the Seed of Gold inside Man to mature, and making ready him for the final degree which concludes his route of transmutation.
Atonement
Exoterically, atonement is the reparation of any wrong or injury accomplished to another. Esoterically, atonement is at-one-ment, the "unio mystica," or oneness between Man and God. It is the ascension wherein Man is unified with his "I AM Presence." This is the conclusion of the path of human salvation, the attainment of alchemical gold. Many assessments and trials have been passed, many initiations gone through. The Seed of the Tree of Life planted in Man’s Edenic focus has matured and is bearing fruit of God-qualities. Man attains his high property with the aid of personal attempt and hard work and no longer via relying upon any other’s merit and endeavors for his exaltation into the Light. This differentiates the Master soul from the puerile individual.
Oneness is Reality. Differentiation and separation are illusory, the projection of Maya. As Man unites with the One, he assumes the resemblance of the One; he has grown into God’s photo and becomes the Sun Initiate the, "Symbol of Wisdom, the Center of Power, or the Heart of Things." The Initiate, by virtue of being one along with his Sun principle, is an enlightened thoughts and illumined being.
Atonement is the end result of the alchemist’s spiritual labour inside the long manner of purifying, refining, and improving the first-class of his metals. The standards of Right Thinking, Right Speaking, and Right Action (some of the elements of Divine Thinking) are conducive in effecting the transformation of the diverse sheaths. The alchemists lives in a country of "regular" meditation and prayer, 24-hours an afternoon, previous to his ascension. Like the Sufis, the names of Allah are constantly upon his lips and mind. The religious practice of "zikir," or "remembrance," is implemented devotedly by the maturing provoke. The alchemist is an active seeker for the kingdom of God within. In Esoteric Christianity, the standards, or the Panacea for reaching the transcendental state, and expanding the consciousness to embrace Solar Consciousness is given as Conviction, Contrition, Confession, Consecration, and Communion.
Conclusion
Whenever Man stalls in his evolution, the intelligences of the religious hierarchy offer a manner out within the form of a brand new religion, philosophy, technology, or artwork. Alchemy is straight away all of those, and ever due to the fact that its creation into the Mysteries, a profound inquiry have been made by way of aspirants and seekers as to the possible approaches concerned in effecting a transmutation. Confused by means of jargon and the real purpose of alchemy, the average scholar of alchemy spends wasted time, finances, and strength seeking to probe the secrets and techniques of the technology. Sincerity, religion and perseverance have been, and still are the keys that unlock the portal to a grasp’s heart; and along with his aid and steerage, a higher know-how and appreciation are acquired by way of the aspirant.
Though nonetheless dismissed as a pseudo-science by cutting-edge scientists, alchemy’s price as a psycho-spiritual device for Man’s transformation cannot be denied when understood in its entirety. It handiest takes a thoughts of purity, free of bigotry and intellectualism to come to be like a little baby in the hands of the Divine Mother, or Sophia, as a way to hold close the important concepts of alchemy which radiates a lot mild for the wayfarer to manual him to his destination.
Copyright © 2006 Luxamore